Diagnosis Branchiae on segments 2–3; eyespots present or absent; lateral lappets absent; ventral shields from segment 2; 17–30 pairs of notopodia, from segment 4; notochaetae with smooth limbation, serrated distally; neuropodia from segment 5; uncini avicular in single rows on segments 5–10, thereafter in double rows,arranged face to face until posterior thorax; then, again in single rows.
According to Nogueira & Hutchings (2007) "Amphitritides is close to Neoleprea Hessle, 1917 and Tyira Hutchings, 1997, as the three genera have two pairs of small, dichotomously branching branchiae, much shorter than body width, neuropodia as low ridges along whole body, with uncini arranged in double rows from the 7th uncinigerous segment until posterior segments, where uncini are arranged in single rows again ..." [details]

Type species Augener included both Terebella gracilis from the Mediterranean and Terebella bruneo-comata (as 'brunneo-comata') from St Thomas, West Indies, in his new subgenus within Amphitrite. Hartman in her catalogue was first to designate T. gracilis as the type (fide Holthe, 1986:104), and did not record the rank was as a subgenus as originally published. [details]